Case Prep Set Up Question

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hey guys, i'm trying to set up my 550b to prep a whole crap load of .308 win brass

this is my current set up

stage 1: lee decapping die

stage 2: empty (i can't put the trimmer here because it bumps in to the decapping die)

stage 3: dillon 1200 size/trim die

stage 4: rcbs full length sizing x-die with the decapping pin removed

do you think this will work to prep up a bunch of brass? i started with the single stage but figured while i had the cases lubed i might as well run them through the trimmer and right in to the x-die.

then i can take the prepped cases, hand prime them and have them ready for a quick tumble to for a few minutes to remove the excess lube. then all i have to do is set back up for a powder drop and bullet seating.

what do you guys think? best way to run them on the 550b?

thanks for the advice
 
Not entirely sure why you aren't running some of that OFF PRESS, and then putting the cases back into the press for assembly after trimming.

The 1200 trimmer is really more made for the 650, where there's more room.

My tendency is to resize and deprime in one step, off press.
Trim and deburr (1200) off press

Then,

Leave station 1 empty, and seat primers on the down stroke

Despense powder in station 2, as normal

Seat bullet in station 3, as normal

Do a factory crimp, if you feel it's necessary (which I don't) in station 4, then drops into awaiting bin.
 
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i have it set up this way because i'm trimming on the press. i need to put the cases through the size/trim die, then put them through the x-die

i wanted to try to do both operations at once. instead of running them all (3500) through the trimmer, setting up the size, die and running them all through that, then priming, then tumbling to remove the excess lube, then moving on to loading.
 
no good info on this x-die. a lot of people seem to really not like it.

i might set up this whole deal with a standard resize die. by the time i get through this brass i'm sure i could save up the 250 bucks to get a damn trimmer.
 
I always resize before I trim. When you resize the brass is when it will grow. Trimming before the resize wont work too well for consistant COAL. Thats the way I do it anyway.
 
the dillon trim die also resizes, it does not have an expander, and does not neck size, so you need to do that in the normal sizing die.

maybe ec will come up with solution, i know he uses x-dies and an electric trimmer.
 
You don't need an expander to seat jacketed rifle bullets. It is NOT the same as bell mouthing the pistol brass. Don't expand the case mouths of rifle brass. (presuming that you are not reloading with cast lead bullets)

Also, are you using this batch of .308 reloads in a bolt action rifle, or in a semi-auto (like an M1A/M14)? If semi-auto, you have to do a full length resize, and then trim to length..
You can't do neck sizing only.

If bolt action, you can only neck size only IF the brass was fired from that gun. Otherwise, you have to resize, and then trim to length.

My understanding of the X-Size dies is that it eliminates you from having to do the trimming later. BUT, only if used in a bolt action.

So many questions, so little time....
 
skip the decapping die. it's useless.

i keep 2 toolheads for .223 (although i use a giraud to trim, so subtract that step for you)

case prep toolhead i keep a full length sizing die in station 1. thats it. i could accomplish the same goals with a single stage, but the case feeder on the 650 is too convenient to ignore. in your case, youd use a FL sizer in station 1, and the dillon trimmer in station 3. your cases will come out trimmed, but you'll need to chamfer/debur in a seperate step.

once they're trimmed/resized...you finish your other random case prep (neck turning, primer pocket swaging / uniforming, etc, whatever other prep you do, you do it here.

i'll tumble them once more with clean media to really get em nice and shiny (and remove remnants of lube), and they go back in for loading.

now, for a loading toolhead, you'll only need station 2 and 3 on a 550b. primer and powder on station 2, and a bullet seater (i recommend Forster) on station 3. i'm a bit odd, here, as I also use a Redding bushing style neck sizer in station 1 (titanium nitrided bushing, no lube required) to make sure i have exactly the neck tension i want on each case (i've got the expander ball run up a bit too, so the expander ball is sizing the neck at the same time the bushing is...i've noticed MUCH better concentricity in loaded rounds since ive begun this, but i've got no real science behind it to explain it...just something i tried that worked for me...it's almost like neck turning, without all the work lol). the secondary bonus to the neck sizer is the extra step with a decapping pin, ensure i dont have media stuck in the flash hole.
 
expander ball. the die undersizes the neck and the expander ball brings it back to the proper size to accept the bullet right?
as far as FL sizing, the dillon trim die body sizes, it can't have an expander ball because the brass needs to pass through to be trimmed, it hardly sizes the neck down because once it's done you need to be able to fit a standard mandrel with a standard expander ball back in the mouth of the case

so once you're done you need to use a standard sizing die to de-cap, and either fl size the whole deal (seam redundant) or neck size to take care of the missed operation

the x-die has a shoulder on the mandrel that bumps the mouth of the case back after it's stretched out a little from firing and re-sizing. it's not just for bolt guns though you can use it semi autos.

hey jasper. the issue i run in to is that i can't prime on station 2 only on one.

i should just the suckers through the single stage and trim them all, then run them all through and go a regular fl size, and de-capping. i'm trying to save time by spending time on the phone with rcbs customer service, and scanning forums for good set up ideas. i could have had the damn job half done.

ahh well
 
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dude, one step at a time.

you're not priming yet.

550b toolheads are CHEAP. buy an extra. put a FL sizing die in station 1. dont load ANY primers in the press. keep the trimmer in station 3, and run it until all your brass is sized and trimmed.

then finish remaining prep. now you have prepped, ready to load brass.

on the second toolhead, you really only need the powder funnel/measure and a seating die. you can prime even if you dont have a die in station 1.



the X die uses a mandrel that keeps the shoulder back while the neck is resized. yes, it means less trimming. in all reality, it means MUCH shorter brass life too. most guys i know that use an X die are tossing brass after 4-5 loads. me? i've got 9 or 10 on one small batch of "test" brass, just to see what i can get out of it.
 
i've taken some measurements and the dillon trim die does shrink the neck down a touch. you can't really back the die out to avoid this without it being far enough out so that the trimmer blade doesn't touch the brass...

i don't have much experience with these dies so i'm not sure if this is the norm with the trimmer dies.

but if you put the dillon trimmer first, now you run in to not being able to de-cap on any station but #1.

so that's where i run in to needing the de-capping die in 1, trimmer in 3 and sizer in 4.

i'm going to run it all single stage. i was trying to save some time and not have to trim again, but thinking more about it, what's the point of only trimming once if i can go out and buy a damn trimmer (i'm borrowing this one) pretty cheap. and if my brass life is cut in half then i'm wasting money there. might as well save the $ and buy a trimmer right?

damn it all. why is there 7 ways to do everything in reloading? everyone has to have a gimmick to make their new fangled tools sound great and suck you in to buying them
 
i've taken some measurements and the dillon trim die does shrink the neck down a touch. you can't really back the die out to avoid this without it being far enough out so that the trimmer blade doesn't touch the brass...

i don't have much experience with these dies so i'm not sure if this is the norm with the trimmer dies.

but if you put the dillon trimmer first, now you run in to not being able to de-cap on any station but #1.

so that's where i run in to needing the de-capping die in 1, trimmer in 3 and sizer in 4.

i'm going to run it all single stage. i was trying to save some time and not have to trim again, but thinking more about it, what's the point of only trimming once if i can go out and buy a damn trimmer (i'm borrowing this one) pretty cheap. and if my brass life is cut in half then i'm wasting money there. might as well save the $ and buy a trimmer right?

damn it all. why is there 7 ways to do everything in reloading? everyone has to have a gimmick to make their new fangled tools sound great and suck you in to buying them




you resize and decap with one single die. it's pointless to decap, THEN size. i've never actually found a sizing die that DIDNT come with some sort of decapping pin.


trust me. run the sizer in station 1, and the trimmer in station 3. if your sizing die doesnt have any sort of decapping pin in it, buy another sizing die. personally, i'm a big fan of the Redding bushing style sizers.

(this makes it a 1 step process...all that will be left is chamfer / debur and primer pocket cleanup/swaging, if you even need to do it.)
 
hey jasper, this is the trick. i cannot de-cap in any station but number one. the de-capping pin will hit the base of the press. there is no hole for the spent primer and pin to push in to, if i try i'll end up breaking the de-capping pin.
 
Then the die isn't set up properly. You can back the expander ball out a bit so the pin won't hit. If it isn't adjustable....then buy a proper die. What kind of dies are you using?
 
Not entirely sure why you aren't running some of that OFF PRESS, and then putting the cases back into the press for assembly after trimming.

The 1200 trimmer is really more made for the 650, where there's more room.

My tendency is to resize and deprime in one step, off press.
Trim and deburr (1200) off press

Then,

Leave station 1 empty, and seat primers on the down stroke

Despense powder in station 2, as normal

Seat bullet in station 3, as normal

Do a factory crimp, if you feel it's necessary (which I don't) in station 4, then drops into awaiting bin.

Duke,

I run the 1200 trimmer on the 550 press too. Using a separate tool head, the decapping/full length resizing die is mounted in sta. 1, the trimmer in sta. 2.

I decap/resize/reprime in sta 1 then trim in sta 2. then deburr/chamfer the batch of brass. Second toolhead has powder drop, seating die and crimp die. This is a very efficient method.

I do not clean my primer pockets except on .50bmg ammo.

I do not clean off lube until ammo is loaded, then in the tumbler for ten to fifteen minutes.
 
i'm using an rcbs die.

do you have a dillon 550b?

the shell plate screws down on to a steel base, the case is held between the shell plate and the base, there is no room for the primer to be pushed out, in station 1 there is hole cut through the base so the spent primers can fall through and the new primers are fed through the same hole, but there is no such hole in any other station.

so the the de-capping must be done in station one.
 
^^exactly. to adjust the decapping stem on the resizing die so it doesnt contact the base under the shellplate, and put the sizing die in station 1!
 
I just want to add I tummble before I decap if you dont at least mine get clogged with what ever Im using. I might not be right to every one who reloads but I think it saves me time
 
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